Refrigerating apparatus



May 30, 1950 Filed Jan. 5, `1946 L. A. PHILIPP REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

e6 A l IN VEN TO'R.

Lawn/c5 n. PH/L/PP afro/e M57 May 30, 1950 L. A. PHILIPP 2,509,610

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Il Le g 2 JNVENTOR. 8 L VFNC PHIL IPP HTT'OKNEY Patented May 30, 1950 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Lawrence A. Philipp, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Maryland Application January 5, 1946, Serial No. 639,204

11 Claims. l

This invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly to an improved domestic refrigerator having more conveniently located food freezing and food storage compartments.

An object of this invention is to arrange ice freezing and food storage compartments in a refrigerator in an improved manner whereby more economical use may be made of the space within the refrigerator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator having ice and food freezing compartments positioned above a food storage compartment and separated therefrom by a plurality of transparent insulating plates' to position the compartments closer together and to increase the eiciency of the device.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a low temperature or food freezing compartment wherein insulation surrounding the ice freezing compartment is positioned to lle inside of the insulation surrounding the food storage compartment, and wherein interconnected ducts are provided to drain the water of condensation from the ice freezing compartment and from adjacent the insulation associated therewith.

Still a further object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved baille construction formed of non-conducting material for separating the space between ice freezing and food storage compartments.

Still another object of the inventionis te provide a refrigerator having an angularly inclined back wall defining the mechanism compartment,Y and wherein angularly movable bins positioned' forwardly of the angularly inclined back wall are provided in the food storage compartment for the reception of articles that cannot be conveniently positioned on shelves.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent Vfrom the following detailed description considered in connection with the ac companying drawings, submitted for purposes of illustration only, and not intended to define the scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views: t

Fig. 1 is the front elevation partly in section of a refrigerator embodying the present invention, with the access door removed;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 with the access door in P1008? 2 Fig. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the reirigerating cycle embodied in this refrigerator: Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in cross section of the separator between the freezing and food storage compartments showing how the system engages walls of the compartment liners; Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 illuistrating a modified form of the invention; an l Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 6. Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of -other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed h erein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment of the inventionillustrated inl Figs. 1 and 2 includes an outer cabinet I0 having top, side, back and bottom walls I2, I4, I6 and I8, respectively, interconnected by an angularly inclined wall 20 to provide a vertically extended open faced compartment.

Inner metallic liner means, or shells, 2I and 22 formed of a top wall 23, vertically spaced side walls 24 and 2E, vertically spaced back walls 28 and 3D, connected with a bottom wall 32 through an angularly inclined back wall 34 are provided to divide the space within thc cabinet I 0 into upper and lower ice freezing and food storage compartments 36 and 38, respectively. The liner means may be of any suitable material and may be of one or more sections or shells insofar as concerns the broad aspect of my invention.

The space between the ice freezing compartment dened by the upper shell consisting of the top wan 23, side waus 24 and back wan 2s and food storage compartment 3B defined by the side walls 26 and back Wall 30 is closed by a fitting 40. The fitting 40 has a groove 42 to receive the side and back walls 2B and 30 of the shell defining the food storage compartment 38 and an upwardly extended projection 44 to receive the contoured portion 46 of the side and back walls 24 and 28 of the shell defining the ice and food. freezing compartment 3B.

The vfitting 40 is preferably formed of non-conducting material, such Vfor example as a phenolic resinous product or hard rubber, to retard the flow of heat and cold. The side and back walls and 28 of the shell forming walls of the ice 3 freezing compartment 86 are contoured to provide a trough 48 between the contoured portion 48 and the lower extremity of the side and back walls 24 and 28.

Suitable insulation 50 is interposed between the walls defining the outer cabinet and the inner shells defining the ice freezing and food storage compartments 36 and 38. respectively. The walls 24 and 28 of the shell defining the ice freezing compartment 36 being offset inwardly with reference to the walls 26 and 30 of the shell defining the food storage compartment 36 provides greater space for the reception of insulation surrounding the ice freezing compartment than is provided for the reception of the insulation surrounding the food storage compartment 38.

The member 40 is provided with a horizontal flange 54 extending around the ice freezing and food storage compartments for the reception of a divider plate, preferably in the form of a plurality of transparent sheets or plates 56 spaced apart to provide dead air spaces therebetween to thermally insulate the spaces between the ice freezing and food storage compartments 36 and 38. If desired, the spaces between the plates 56 may be evacuated to still further increase the insulating characteristics of the divider. 'Ihe member 40 is contoured 'to provide a channel portion 58 extending along the side and back walls of the ice freezing compartment 36 adjacent the bottom thereof. An opening 62 is provided in the member 40 to permit the escape of liquid from the channel 58 to a container 64 positioned on a shelf 66 in the food storage compartment 88.

An opening 68 is positioned in the shell or liner 2| defining the ice freezing compartment, preferably between the back wall 28 and the contoured portion 46 to permit the escape of moisture or liquid from the channel 48 extending around the insulation space surrounding the ice freezing compartment adjacent the bottom thereof to permit liquid condensation to flow into the channel 58 through the aperture 62 into the container A refrigerant motor compressor unit is positioned in a mechanism compartment 12 positioned beneath the angularly disposed back wall 20 of the cabinet I0 to withdraw gaseous refrigerant from a, refrigerant evaporator and transmit it to a refrigerant condenser to complete the refrigerating cycle.

The refrigerant condenser is preferably in the form of a series of interconnected conduits 14 bonded to the inner surface of the outer walls of the cabinet in heat exchange relation therewith to dissipate heat from the compressed gaseous refrigerant to convert it to the liquid form. Liquid refrigerant flows from the condenser 14 through a strainer 16 to a capillary tube 18 of small diameter connected to a refrigerant evaporator 80 in the form of a series of interconnected conduits bonded to the outer surface of the walls of the shell defining the food storage compartment 38 to absorb heat therefrom to reduce the temperature therein.

After passing through the evaporator 80 the liquid refrigerant flows through a fixed restriction 82 adapted to maintain a substantially predetermined pressure differential between the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 80 and another evaporator 84 in the form of series of interconnected conduits bonded to the outer surface of the shell defining the ice or food freezing compartment 36. As the liquid refrigerant ex-` pands in the refrigerant evaporator 84 it absorbs heat from the ice freezing compartment 38 and is converted to the gaseous form in an accumulator 86 communicating by way of a conduit 88 with the inlet side of the motor compressor unit '10.

The space within the ice freezing compartment 3S is divided by a shelf 90 into an upper chamber 92 adapted to receive a plurality of ice trays 94 to freeze ice cubes therein. Suitable refrigerant evaporator tubes 86 connected with the refrigerant evaporator tubes 84 are bonded to the shelf 90 in heat exchange relation therewith as illustrated to absorb heat from the water in the pans 94 to form ice blocks. The space between the upper of the shelves 56 and the shelf 90 is available for the reception of food stuffs or other objects to be frozen. Y The space within the food storage compartment 38 is divided by means of a plurality of shelves 66 and 81 to permit more efficient use of the space within the food storage compartment 38. A pair of spaced drawers 98 are provided beneath the lower shelf 91 for the reception of articles to be stored in high humidity conditions. A pair of angularly movable bins |00 are hinged at |02 to permit the bins to be moved angularly between open and closed positions. The bins have angularly inclined back walls |05 conforming with the angular inclination of the walls 20 and 34 defining the lower surface of the food storage compartment. Spaced handles |08 and |08 are provided to permit actuation of the drawers 98 and angularly movable bins |00.

The open vertical face of the cabinet |0 is closed by a door ||0 having outer and inner walls ||2 and ||4 providing therebetween a space for insulation ||6 to thermally seal the ice freezing and food storage compartments 36 and 88, respectively. An inner access door ||8 is provided to close the entire front of the ice freezing compartment 36 to minimize the loss of cold therefrom when the access door |0 is opened. A suitable gasket |20 is carried by the door to engage the cabinet to seal the front of the refrigerator.

A plate I2 preferably formed of non-conducting material, is provided to engage and support the front ends of the spaced panels 56 interposed between the ice freezing and food storage compartments 38 and 38, respectively. A gasket strip |23 carried by the inner panel ||4 of the door ||0 engages the front surface of the plate |24 to thermally seal the space between the ice freezing and food storage compartments when the access door ||0 is closed.

The operation of this embodiment of the invention is as follows. The motor compressor unit 10 is effective to withdraw gaseous refrigerant through the conduit 88 from the accumulator 86 and direct it through the refrigerant condenser 14 secured in heat exchange relation with the inner surface of the outer walls forming the cabinet |'0. As heat is absorbed from the gaseous refrigerant it is converted to the liquid form and flows through the strainer16 and capillary metering tube 18 to the first stage refrigerant evaporator bonded-to the outer surface of the walls defining the food storage compartment 38. The liquid refrigerant expands absorbing heat from the food storage compartment and passes through the fixed restriction 82 to the refrigerant evaporator 84 bonded in thermal relation to the walls denning the ice freezing compartment 88 where the 5 liquid refrigerant expands still further, absorbing heat and eventually being converted to the gaseous form in the laccumulator 83. The cycle is then repeated.

`Heat developed by the operation of the motor compressor unit 10 is dissipated from the mechanism compartment 12 by convection air currents flowing over the motor compressor unit 'l0 from the open bottom of the cabinet and through iiue |32 secured to the back wall I8 of the cabinet are provided to assist in the development of convection currents over the motor compressor unit l0 to aist in dlssipating heat therefrom.

In a system of this type it is desirable to operate the evaporator 80 at such a temperature that it will absorb heat through the thin metallic liner 22 without the collection of frost on the liner. Thus this part of the system does not require defrosting. If any moisture should be present in the air in the insulation it would not collect on evaporator 80 because evaporator 84 operates considerably below the freezing point of water and under these conditions such moisture would be frozen out on evaporator 84. Preferably, the insulation is spaced from evaporator 84 so that water does not contact the in sulation when evaporator 84 is being defrosted. When evaporator 84 is being defrosted any ice or frost on evaporator 84 will melt therefrom and flow to trough 48 and through opening 88 into channel 58 whence it flows through opening 82 into receptacle 84. The separator 40 with spaced glass or plastic plates serves as a barrier to the flow of heat and prevents any possibility of frost or ice forming in compartment 88. Preferably, shelves 88 and 91 are made of transparent glass which limits the flow of air about compartment 38. These shelves are spaced slightly from the rear wall 30 to allow limited circulation only. Thus, some air may flow up the rear wall through opening 62 into compartment 36 where some of the moisture in said air will be removed. This prevents the formation of excess moisture in compartments 38. The humidity conditions in drawers 98 and bins |00 will berelatively higher than in compartment 38 above the drawers 98 because the drawers and bins have imperforate fronts thereon which prevents loss of moisture in the drawers and bins f when door ||0.is opened. Also, when evaporator coils 98 and the linr 2| are defrosted the defrost water will flow over plates 56 and down the liner walls into tting 40 through aperture 54 into vessel 84;

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. and 6 is similar in many respects to that illustrated in' Figs. 1 to 3. Corresponding parts have, therefore, been given corresponding numbers with the addition of 100.

It will be noted that the side and back walls |24 and1 |26 of the shell forming walls of the freezing compartment |38 are aligned with and secured to a shelf 20| positioned adjacent the bottom of the compartment |36 to receive the ice trays |94. A shelf 203 positioned above the ice trays |94 is provided 'for the reception of food stuffs and other articles to be frozen.

An insulated fitting 205 positioned on the side and back walls |28 and |30 of the food storage compartment |38 is provided to receive the spaced apart shelves or plates |56 to separate the ice freezing and food storage compartments |36 and |38, respectively. The ntting 205 is preferably made of a phenolic resinous product or hard rubber and has the channel |58 extending around the side and back walls and is provided with an aperture |82 aligned with the receptacle |84 positioned on the shelf |88 inthe food storage compartment |38 to permit liquid condensation to be removed from the ice freezing compartment |38. The space surrounding the insulation |50 is cut out, as illustrated at 201, adjacent the refrigerant evaporator passages |84 to permit defrost liquid condensation to flow into the insulated channelled member 209 communicating with the channelled portion |58 through an orifice 2| l, preferably positioned adjacent the bottom ofthe back wall |28 as illustrated in Fig. 6. The front portion of the member 205 is contoured as illustrated at 2|3 in Fig. 6 to reduce its weight and to provide a dead air space to more thoroughly insulate the food storage and ice freezing compartments from each other, particularly when the access door 2|0 is in the closed position. Preferably, the fitting 209 is made of a phenolic resinous product or hard rubber and rests on upper part of the liner, forming the compartment |38.

The remaining parts of the refrigerator shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are the same as that shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 including'the cabinet and refrigerating system including the operation of the system. For these reasons further description of Figs. 5 and 6 is deemed unnecessary.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having vertically spaced ice freezing and food storage compartments, an insulating 1separator between the ice freezing and food storage compartment: comprising a plurality of spaced plates formed of non-conducting material, a horizontally disposed channel between the ice freezing and food storage compartments, a receptacle in thefood storage compartment, a passageway through the channelled member in alignment with the receptacle to discharge liquid condensation from V the ice freezing compartment, a channeled member surrounding the exterior of the ice freezing compartment, and a passageway through the channelled member in alignment with the channel between the ice freezing and food storage compartments whereby a space between the cabinet and the shell dening the ice freezing compartment may be dehydrated.

2. In a refrigerator having spaced ice freezing and food storage compartments, an insulating member interposed between the ice freezing and food storage compartments comprising a rectangular frame having a horizontally disposed apertured channel, a plurality of spaced apart superimposed plates of transparent material posil tioned on said rectangular frame, an ice tray supporting shelf in the ice freezing compartment, refrigerant evaporator tubes associated with the ice freezing compartment and -tray supporting shelf, insulation surrounding 'the ice freezing compartment, and means to conduct liquid condensation from the ice freezing compartment and from adjacent the insulation surrounding the ice freezing compartment when the refrigerator is defrosted.

3. A refrigerator comprising an outer casing. an inner upper liner forming walls of a freezing compartment, an inner lower liner forming walls of a food storage compartment, a fitting of insulating material between and engaging said liners, a low temperature evaporator coil surrounding the upper liner, a relatively high temperature evaporator coil surrounding the lower liner, said fitting having a trough below said upper liner and low temperature evaporator coil for receiving the defrost water therefrom and said fitting being provided with an aperture for allowing such defrost water to fiow into said food storage compartment.

4. In a refrigerator having spaced ice freezing and food storage compartments, an insulating member interposed between the ice freezing and food storage compartments comprising a rectangular frame having a horizontally disposed apertured channel, and a plurality of spaced apart superimposed plates positioned on said rectangular frame, said frame and plates cooperating with refrigerator walls to separate said compartments.

5. A domestic refrigerator comprising, a cabinet casing, vertically spaced shells within said casing forming storage space, a fitting between the vertically spaced shells, a plurality of spaced superimposed plates positioned on said fitting and dividing the storage space into freezing and food storage compartments, insulation between said casing and said shells, a rectaptacle in the food storage compartment, and communicating passageways interconnecting the freezing compartment and the space between the upper shell and the casing with the receptacle.

6. In a refrigerator a, cabinet having outer walls defining a vertically elongated chamber, non-conducting separator members dividing said compartment into ice freezing and food storage chambers, the lower portion of the cabinet walls being contoured angularly to provide an angularly disposed dividing wall between the food compartment and a mechanism compartment, a motor-compressor in the mechanism compartment, a spaced fiue secured to the back wall of the cabinet to induce a, flow of convection cooling currents over the motor-compressor unit, refrigerant condenser tubes bonded to the outer Walls of the cabinet, refrigerant evaporator tubes bonded to the walls of the shells forming walls of the food storage and ice freezing compartments, and an angularly movable bin in the food storage compartment having an angularly inclined back wall aligned with the angularly inclined wall of said food compartment and adjacent the evaporator tubes on the shell forming walls of the food compartment.

7. In a, refrigerator, a cabinet having outer walls, spaced shells in the cabinet forming walls of vertically spaced ice freezing and food storage compartments, insulating material interposed between the cabinet and shells, the back wall of the cabinet and food storage compartment being angularly inclined to provide a mechanism compartment adjacent the bottom of the cabinet,

refrigerant evaporator tubes in said back and angularly movable bins positioned in food storage compartment and having an angularly related back wall aligned with the wall of the food storage compartment adJacent said evaporator tubes.

8. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a vertically extending chamber, a separator dividing said chamber into freezing and storage compartments, insulation surrounding the freezing and storage compartments, and means having an inlet outside said chamber to receive condensate and said means also discharging liquid condensation to said separator from the exterior walls of said freezing compartment adjacent the insulation surrounding the freezing compartment and said separator having provisions for discharging condensate directly to said chamber.

9. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having inner liner material forming walls of ice freezing and food storage compartments, a separator between said compartments having a channeled portion adjacent said liner material, a trough on the exterior of said liner material adjacent the lower portion of said ice freezing compartment and an opening in said trough leading to said channeled portion.

l0. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having inner liner material forming walls of ice freezing and food storage compartments, refrigerant evaporator tubes on the exterior of said hner material, a, separator between said compartments having an opening leading to said food compartment, and a trough on the exterior of said liner material and being provided with an opening to conduct condensate to said food compartment.

11. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, liner means forming inner wall surfaces of a cabinet, a separator cooperating with said liner means to form an upper compartment and a lower compartment, a passage having an-inlet outside said hner means in open communication with the exterior surface of said liner means above said separator and passing through said separator for discharging condensate into said lower chamber, and an opening in said passage in communication with the upper surface of said separator to receive condensate therefrom.

. LAWRENCE A. PHILIPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,051,733 Moore et al Aug. 18, 1936 2,166,791 Bixler July 18, 1939 2,280,554 Steenstrup Apr. 2l, 1942 2,291,559 Philipp July 28, 1942 2,318,984 Atchison May 11, 1943 2,319,522 Schweller May 18, 1943 2,425,021 Anderson et al Aug. 5, 1947 

